International trade effort part of strategy

Central Alberta: Access Prosperity (CA: AP) has revealed part of its investment attraction strategy for 2014.

The economic development organization, which was created three years ago with funding from the Rural Alberta Development Fund, announced on Tuesday plans to participate in international trade events and bring foreign delegations to the region.

Matthew Cornall, an investment attraction officer with CA: AP, will attend the Asian Development Bank’s Business Opportunities Fair in the Philippines this March. CA: AP will also send take part in the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Tex., in May.

A release issued by CA: AP said it will continue to focus on local investment opportunities related to agriculture and agri-foods, transportation and logistics, and manufacturing — primarily related to the oil and gas sector.

The United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America were identified as places where investors and businesses will be sought.

CA: AP resulted from an alliance involving Red Deer County, the City of Red Deer, Red Deer College, the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce and Central Alberta Economic Partnership (CAEP). These organizations will continue to fund and provide other resources to CA: AP, with provincial money also to be sought for specific projects.